Flying-machine.



G. S. WHITE.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 21, 1913 Patemeu Jan. 19, 1915 apil'weoow CIT UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. WHITE, 01 LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FLYING-MACI-IIN E.

Application filed April 21, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in heavier-than-air flying machines, and has particular reference to the structural outlines of the wings or planes and the means for maintaining and restoring the equilibrium or lateral balance of the machine.

It is one object of my invention to provide an aeroplane constructed in sections all located substantially in the same plane, the outline resembling in appearance the wings of a bat and being built along lines of construction similar to the wings of abat.

A further object is to provide an improved construction of flexible wing, to gether with means for flexing the wings for the purpose of guiding the machine and preserving its lateral balance.

The construction of the last-mentioned object is further employed in a flexible rearwardly extended wing section adapted to be actuated upwardly or downwardly to cause the elevation or depression of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, which form a part of this specification Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine, with part of one plane broken away for the sake of a larger showing. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail, in side elevation, of the controlling mechanism, and

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary bottom view.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates a horizontally disposed central frame whose sides converge to a point at the rear of the machine, said frame supporting a transverse stay-rod 2 of comparatively heavy construction which practically forms the front edge of the aeroplane, the stay-rod 2 extending beyond the frame 1 on each side substantially to the outer ends of the main planes. Extending either from the frame 1 or from the stay-rod 2 is a series of bars or ribs a, preferably of wood, which form the ribs or framing of the planes. The planes are covered by a network of cords or wires 3, which are only partially indicated, upon which the covering of the planes is supported, the edges of the coverings being secured in any suitable manner to the edges of the planes. For the purpose of strength and convenience, the stay- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Serial No. 762,566.

rod 2 is extended to form the front edges of the flexible planes at each side of the machine by means of extension rods 5. Mounted on the ends of the extension rods 5 as on spring joints 16 are the flexing rods 6. Each of the bars or ribs d also carries the flexing rod 6 secured thereto by similar spring joints 16. The outlines of the rear and side edges of the planes are determined by means of flexible cables or cords 24 and 27 extending from one to the other of the flexing rods 6 and 26 from end to end of the machine.

The extremity of each of the flexing rods 6 is secured to the end of an operating cable, said cables being indicated on the drawings by numeral 1 1. The method of connecting the tips of the flexing bars or rods 6 by means of cables 14 is best shown in Fig. 3. The cables 14: are carried to guides 29 secured to the lower sides of the rods 6 near their outer ends, and thence to the ends of the flexing ribs 26, where they are secured.

At the rear central portion the machine is provided with a steering or tail section, which is constructed substantially in the same manner as the other sections or planes of the machine, said steering or tail section being formed of the central rib 1' and side rods or ribs 12. Each of the ribs 12- is provided with an extension or flexing rib 6 connected at their extremities by ca les 14, in the same manner that the corresponding cables are connected to the ribs at 'id be ing connected to the operating me nisin for actuation with the main planes. The extension 26 of the rib a, however, is provided with upper and lower cables 13, which permit its actuation above and below the normal plane. The tail section consists, therefore, substantially of three sections, right, left and central section. The right and left sections act as a rudder or steering means for operating the machine from right to left when either one or the other section is pulled downwardlv The central section acts as an elevating 'ln de ressingzplane, the joint connecting the'fl {rod 26 of the section with its corresponding rib 1 being constructed to permit the movement of the flexing rib above or below the normal plane of the steering section. Said operating mechanism is controlled from a lever 11 which is pivoted at an intermediate point to, and co-acts with a spreader or segment provided with a series of guide openings 18 through which the several flexing cables 14 pass for operation as hereinafter described. The segment or spreader 10 is pivoted at upper and lower swivels or bearings 28 to the machine frame for longitudinal movement or oscillation. The lever 11 has connected thereto at its free end the operating cables 13 for flexing the rear steering section. Said lever 11 is pivoted to be vertically movable on the member 10 so that the cables 13 may be operated thereby without any motion being imparted to said segment or spreader member 10. However, when the lever 11 is swung horizontally from side to side the pivoted member 10 is carried therewith to actuate the cables 14 which flex the rear edges of the planes. For this purpose the cables 14 are suitably passed through the guide openings 18 provided in the member 10 so as to be freely slidable therethrough. On each side of the member 10 the cables 14 are provided with flxed stops or balls 31 which lie in the path of movement of the segment or member 10 so that as the latter is swung horizontally to the right or left it will engage either set of balls to flex the extension or flexing rods 6 sufficiently to bend the edges of the planes downwardly to the desired degree. The set of cables coming from one side, for instance, the left side, is passed through the segment 10, preferably by a stiffened portion, as rod 14, and carries the set of stops or balls 81 on the right hand side of the segment 10, so as to permit the movement of the cables by the latter when the segment is swung to. the right, but does not influence the cables when the segment is swung to the left.

Attention is called to the fact that the connection of the cables 14 with the member 10 is such that when the cables of one side are actuated to bend the edges and tips of the corresponding planes downwardly, the cables of the other side have no action upon their corresponding planes. That is. the spring joints 16 are constructed to bend downwardly only and when under normal conditions extend upwardly in substantial alinement with the ribs 4. Consequently the only movement which is possible to the edges of the planes is a downward move' ment, and, when the planes at one side are actuated downwardly by their corresponding cables, the cables on the other side merely hang loosely so that no movement is imparted to the tips and edges of the planes of the opposite side. On the other hand, the spring joint 16 which. connects the extension 26 of the central steering section to its corresponding rib 4 permits both upward and downward movement with regard to the normal plane of the section. Correspondingly, the cables 13 connecting said extension or flexing rib 26 to the lever 11 permit action of the plane tip or end above and below the normal plane of the section. In this manner, the aeroplane can be steered to raise or lower the machine.

The operation of the main planes and the steering section has been substantially defined in the foregoing description, so that it is believed unnecessary to tell any summary of the operation of the machine.

lVhat I claim is:

1; In an aeroplane, the combination with a frame, of a set of planes having flexing edges, a central steering section also, having flexible edges, extension flexing rods jointed to said frame, actuating cables connected to said flexing rods, and a control device connected to the opposite ends of said cables,

the connections of said cables with said control device being such that the planes of each side of the machine and the steering section can be independently flexed.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination with a frame, of a set of planes and a central steering section, said planes and said steering section having flexible edges, flexing rods jointed to said frame and having their extremities connected to said flexible edges 'of the planes and steering section, the central one of said flexing rods in said steering section being capable of movement above and below the normal plane of the section, and the remaining flexing rods having movement below the normal surfaces of the planes only, and means for actuating said flexing rods.

In testimony of the fact that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES S. WHITE.

lVitnesses VERNE SALYARDS, CLAIBORNE BE DELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

